Eat in my Kitchen - Meike Peters

There is something magical
about Eat in My Kitchen: To Cook, to Bake, to Eat, and to
Treat and it has everything to do with the author, Meike
Peters. She had me hooked with her opening words - "my food is in
my hands" - meaning whatever the German blogger cooks and eats is
all up to her and is literally made with her hands. Our food is in
our hands as well - we can choose to make delicious food from
scratch or take other avenues to feed our families. I prefer the
former whenever possible as I'm sure do most of our members.

Meike found joy cooking along side her mother and grandmothers
- earthy German food with French and Italian accents. Her culinary
viewpoint grew when her boyfriend came into her life whose food
traditions were formed from his Maltese mother and American father.
Recipes are reflective of all of these influences and makes for a
fantastic collection of dishes.

Meike's book came to me in September of last year a little
before it's release date. I glanced at it quickly because September
and October are wildly busy in this field. When I picked it up
again a week or two later, I fell hard. Not only for the incredibly
delicious recipes but the stunning photographs taken by Meike
herself. The recipes are pure comfort - even the gorgeous salad
chapter full of vibrant refreshing plates. I've made several of the
recipes including the pork recipe we are sharing today which was
one of the best pork roasts I have ever tried. The flavors from the
spices, the flavorful sauce and the crispy crackling crust all
combine perfectly.

The Wild Mushroom Spaghetti with Orange Butter and Crispy
Sage, the Maltese Lemon and Ricotta Pasta with Basil and the
Potato-Sauerkraut Latkes with Juniper Sour Cream Dip - all perfect.
I served the latkes with the pork roast because my husband is
anti-sweet potato - and it was a hit.

Every cook needs this beautiful book in their life. Meike is
not only a brilliant recipe developer and photographer but a truly
kind and gentle spirit. Special thanks to Meike and Prestel for
sharing this recipe with our members. Be sure to head over to our
contest page and enter our giveaway!

Bavarian Beer-roasted Pork with Sweet
Potatoes and Parsnips

As autumn nears, I leave the buzz of the city and head to the
suburbs to buy meat from a small local butcher near Müggelsee,
Berlin's largest lake. It's become a tradition: My boyfriend and I
place our order-whether for a roast, sausages, or both-at our
trusted shop then go on a long walk through the dense woods that
surround the picturesque lake. With fresh air in our lungs-and a
few sweet treats from a nearby bakery in our bellies-we pick up the
bags full of meaty delicacies and hop back on the train.

This really is the ultimate roast with perfect crackling, juices
sweetened with elderflower or apricot jelly, and tender meat
infused with beer, cloves, mustard, and cinnamon. It's pure comfort
food.

Combine the salt and cloves, sprinkle onto the scored surface of
the pork and rub into the scores with your fingers. Place the meat,
scored side up, in a deep roasting pan and roast for 1½ hours. Take
the pan out of the oven, pour the beer over the meat, and arrange
the red onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, cinnamon, star anise, and
mustard seeds around the meat. Roast for another 60 minutes,
stirring the vegetables and spooning the juices from the pan over
the meat every 20 minutes or so. Turn on the broiler for the last
few minutes until most of the crackling is crisp-mind that it
doesn't get too dark. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a large
dish, cover with aluminum foil and set aside.

For the sauce, pour the juices from the roasting pan into a
medium saucepan, discarding the cinnamon and star anise. Add ½ cup
(120 ml) of the broth and bring to a boil. Whisk in the jelly and
mustard and season to taste with pepper. Taste the sauce and if the
beer flavor is too strong, add more broth. If you prefer the sauce
more concentrated, let it cook down for a few minutes. Cut the pork
roast into ½-inch (1.25 cm) slices and serve with the sauce and
vegetables on the side.

2 Comments

This looks like a wonderful dish. I just wish I could find a pork shoulder that has that layer of fat on it. None of the grocery stores around seem to carry it (or they are always "out"). I now must hunt it down to make this dish!